Response to Doctor King’s “I have a dream” speech

Three score years ago, Doctor Martin Luther King captivated the attention of audiences around the world as he delivered his now landmark speech entitled I have a Dream. In the midst of a war weary and severely divided nation Luther King’s speech stood out as a beacon of light, hope, and unity. The pathos evoked so energetically and effectively by his speech drew its roots not in differences but in similarities between the people he represented and the people to whom he spoke. While his speech was addressed primarily to an African-american audience the content was designed for all humanity. He demonstrated his respect for the Nation to which he owed his doctorate and prosperity and acknowledged the sacrifices of those many souls(both black and white) who laid down their lives in the defense of liberty and in the pursuit of justice. Dr. King spoke of children of all races playing and living together in harmony, preached of the triumph of love over hatred and appealed to the moral compass which was present albeit at time lost within the hearts of all his fellow men. His speech characterized his Ethos and it was his character that won over the hearts of the people, and inspired them to pursue a peaceful solution.

He didn’t advocate a more favorable inequality, just as he did not pursue a societal movement for personal gain. Dr. King deserves the credit given him for his conscience and persistence, but perhaps most of all for his restraint, He like Washington came to realize like few others do that an “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”